Has any one determined, to the dollar, which boat is the cheapest to run.
Certain schools stand by motor boats and other stand by sail boats i'm just wonderin which is the most cost effective in the long run!

I read a thread on here last year by a cruiser who had switched from sailboat cruising for many years to a trawler. He said that when you factor in brand new sails every so often it ends up about the same. I buy used sails.

As often as not, sailboats operate their engines. In fact, all the sailboats I observed yesterday on the Carquinez Strait were using their engines, with and without sails. Furthermore, my motorboat used its sails for part of the voyage.

I read a thread on here last year by a cruiser who had switched from sailboat cruising for many years to a trawler. He said that when you factor in brand new sails every so often it ends up about the same. I buy used sails.

These sails have about 5 years and 20,000 miles on them. They cost about $12,000. That's $0.60 per mile. They're pretty much shot by my higher-than-typical-cruiser standards. So that's comparable to fuel costs.

Sailboats cost more to buy and operate than motorboats because they are better, duh. We pay the premium because we value the experience, or something. Also about a thousand times more reliable on a serious voyage.

These sails have about 5 years and 20,000 miles on them. They cost about $12,000. That's $0.60 per mile. They're pretty much shot by my higher-than-typical-cruiser standards. So that's comparable to fuel costs.

Add in the cost of rig, winches etc
Thanks

Quote:

Sailboats cost more to buy and operate than motorboats because they are better, duh. We pay the premium because we value the experience, or something. Also about a thousand times more reliable on a serious voyage.